One of the clichés of Six Nations rugby is that the Ireland regularly field
the oldest team while another truism insists that it is much harder to get
dropped from an Ireland XV than to earn selection initially.

Through the decades Ireland have undoubtedly veered towards the conservative and predictable and many green-shirted warriors do seem to play forever, butIreland under Declan Kidney have been strangely difficult to buttonhole.

Kidney has overseen a quiet revolution in Irish rugby with callow youths being thrown into the mix with grizzled veterans. Novice wings Simon Zebo and Craig Gilroy both make their Six Nations debuts today, flanker Peter O’Mahony has been given a run in the back row while Ulster’s young back-five forward Iain Henderson been blooded and will be a star of the future, as will Munster prop David Kilcoyne.

Jonny Sexton and Conor Murray are the main playmakers now while Cian Healy, 25, is the rock around which the pack is built. For captain Brian O’Driscoll now read Jamie Heaslip, for go-to line-out man Paul O’Connell read Donnacha O’Ryan.

The critics will say that necessity has been the mother of invention and that Kidney, whose contract ends this summer, has simply thrown caution to the wind after a distinct drop-off in form since their 2009 Grand Slam, a decline that culminated with that 60-0 humiliation against the All Blacks in Hamilton last June.

“I would argue that we have always been willing to give young, in-form players their head and that we have generally looked to play an attack-minded game but planning for the future is never easy. The quickest way to make God laugh is to tell him your plans for tomorrow.

“We have a great group of lads coming through and their energy and enthusiasm is breathing life in to the entire squad. I’m very happy with that but Test rugby is a rough arena and you need the experienced guys as well.”

As recently as the last weekend of November Kidney’s job was on the line when Ireland faced Argentina, conquerors of Wales two weeks earlier. A 3-0 Ireland win would have sufficed, in truth, but instead he gave a debut to Gilroy and continued with Zebo at fullback. The result was a firecracker of a performance and a 46-24 win to appease Irish fans.

Zebo and Gilroy are the new poster boys of Irish rugby and their back-three combination with a fit-again Rob Kearney is exciting. Luke Fitzgerald has also looked in sparkling form for Leinster since his return from a neck injury and Tommy Bowe will be fit once more come the spring.

The firepower at Ireland’s disposal going forward is impressive – O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy must wish they were at the beginning of their careers, not the end.

“I’ve got no illusions, I know I am still a bit wet behind the ears but I want to have fun play my natural game with Ireland,” says Munster’s Zebo, 22. “If we are 80-yards out but ‘it’s on’ let’s go for it. At Test level it’s even more important to take those opportunities because defences are so tight and you are supported by the very best players.

“At the same time I know Test rugby is also about getting the basics right. Tackling, defence, covering, getting under that high ball and making it mine. That’s where I have been working the hardest, to a certain extent the other stuff takes care of itself, hopefully.”